Stepping aboard one of the sumptuous 1915 Pullman railcars on the Napa Valley Wine Train is like entering a bygone era, complete with wood paneling, velvet dining booths, and white tablecloths. On the train, diners can enjoy dishes like Cracked Mustard-Cider Glazed Salmon and seasonal risotto paired with excellent wines they may have never heard of, all while they take in picturesque views of iconic vineyards through glass-domed windows.

Since the 1980s, the Napa Valley Wine Train has made a name for itself in culinary tourism, like much of the region itself. Though California's Napa Valley offers plenty of Michelin-starred restaurants and wineries you should visit at least once, nothing beats eating a gourmet meal while riding a train through 36 miles of idyllic wine country.

For anywhere from $550 to $1,300 a ticket, guests can embark on the Legacy Experience, a six-hour journey through the heart of the wine region complete with a four-course meal. When guests arrive, they receive a glass of sparkling wine to kick off their journey. There are a few planned stops along the way, and the experience includes tastings at V. Sattui and Napa's oldest winery, Charles Krug. The train also offers other experiences like the Vista Dome Lunch for $600 to $800 a ticket, featuring an abbreviated three-hour train ride through the Valley. Guests can enjoy a four-course lunch with delicious choices like Grandma's Red Wine Braised Short Ribs and Ricotta Cheese Gnocchi.

A sip of Napa's railroad history

The Napa Valley Wine Train became the gastro tourism destination it is today starting in the late 1980s, but the region's railroad history is far older than that. Napa Valley's railway dates back to 1864, when millionaire and merchant Samuel Brannan helped bring it to completion. Unfortunately, Brannan had to sell the Napa Valley Railroad after a number of financial setbacks, and the train turned into a mixed passenger and freight operation. When the automobile became America's vehicle of choice in the 1930s, Napa's railroad began to decline. By the 1960s, the once-glamorous rail was reduced to a freight train that barely traversed the tracks. 

That all changed in 1987, thanks to Vincent DeDomenico, the San Franciscan who invented Rice-A-Roni and once co-owned Ghirardelli Chocolate, one of the oldest continuously run chocolate factories in the U.S. DeDominico made it his mission to return the railroad to its former glory. He spent $200,000 after initially investing $2.5 million in the company. He focused on renovating the Pullman cars, and his wife, Mildred DeDominico, helped spruce up the interiors by adding velvet curtains and marble bathroom countertops. The Napa Valley Wine Train embarked on its maiden voyage on September 16, 1989 and was purchased by the Noble House Hotels & Resorts in 2016. At that time, it saw over 100,000 passengers a year, and it now offers more than 10 different experiences.